Dossier expose: Mastermind of IC-814 hijack ran Balakot camp

The exhaustive evidence that New Delhi handed over to Islamabad — demanding action by Prime Minister Imran Khan — included details of terrorist training camp run by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. The evidence, given in the form of a dossier, was handed over to Pakistan's deputy high commissioner in India Syed Haider Ali Shah on Wednesday night.

According to details available with DNA, the dossier also contained international evidence on the role of JeM and its base in Balakot mountains. The document includes testimonies of detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp run by the US military, who had confessed to having been trained at Balakot. "In a disclosure to JTF (Joint Task Force), US Department of Defense, Guantanamo, during an investigation in January 2004, Hafez K Rehman, a Pakistani detainee at Guantanamo, admitted having attended a training camp run by Jaish-e-Mohammad at Balakot," reads the dossier.

Sources here also said the dossier contains inspirational lectures delivered by Masood Azhar and other terrorist leaders at the place. Situated on Kunhar river, the camp has been offering possibilities of aquatic training to terrorists.

The dossier also quoted Pakistan newspaper to add credence to India's argument related to the presence of Jaish in Balakot. It mentioned a report in the Dawn dated August 2, 2006, highlighting the deposition of Defense Intelligence Agency (US) before US court about a terrorist training camp at Balakot during the trial of two Pak-origin US citizens on terrorism charges. 

The dossier further mentions that the JeM terrorists held different training courses — from armed to combat. For instance, it conducted a three-month advance combat course called Daura-e-Khas and an advance armed training course called Daura-Al-Raad.

Sources further revealed that the dossier has given a detailed account of the four major infiltration routes used by the terrorists to enter Jammu and Kashmir for the attacks. Terrorists reportedly used Kel, located in the Neelam Valley in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as the 'launching point' to infiltrate into Kashmir. 

The dossier said the four major routes manned by Pakistani forces are being used by JeM terrorists for infiltration. That means the infiltration has been going with the full knowledge of Pakistan Army and shows its complicity. 

‘INFILTRATION GOING ON WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF PAK ARMY’

Dossier says infiltration has been going on with full knowledge of Pak army and identifies Kel, located in Neelam Valley in PoK, as the ‘launch point’. It goes on to detail the four routes used by Jaish cadre as:

1. Balakot-Kel-Sonpindi-Muri-Dudhniyal (all in Pakistan/PoK) > Thanda Pani forest > Juma Gund > Nar > Puthaa Khan Gali > Marhama Forest > Dolipoora > Kunan Poshpora > Didikoot (district Kupwara); 
    
2. Balakot-Kel-Sonpindi-Muri-Dudhniyal (all Pak/POK) > Kainthawali forest > Bansawali Beihk > Shalabathu forest > Gugal dara > Awaoora forest > Halmatpora forest > Gulgam > Batargam > Gushi > Magam forest (district Kupwara); 
    
3. Balakot-Kel-Sonpindi-Muri-Dudhniyal- (all Pak/POK) > Rangsar > Kalaban forest > Rangbala Nar > Jhakanaka > Gurdaji > Gagal > Lolab (district Kupwara); 
    
4. Balakot-Kel- (all Pak/POK) - Thanda pani forest > Molang > Sundarmali > Gujardori > Kharban Beihk > Warsun Kachama forest > Kralpora (district Kupwara).